After a troubled start to the year, Samsung has received some good news, with a South Korean court reportedly dismissing an arrest warrant for the company’s vice-chairman and de facto head, Lee Jay-yong, over allegations of bribery and embezzlement.

The decision came early on 19 January, according to Reuters, with the Seoul District Court indicating that an arrest at this time is not necessary.

Lee had been questioned by authorities for over 20 hours the previous week and was held overnight on 18 January as the court reached its decision, according to Reuters.

News of an application by South Korean prosecutors for Lee’s arrest emerged on 16 January, after it was alleged that he participated in payments made by Samsung to a friend of South Korea’s embattled president, Park Geun-hye, to help garner government support in the company’s succession planning.

The move to release Lee and dismiss the warrant for his arrest will no doubt have Samsung’s top-tier leadership team breathing a sigh of relief, with the prospect of seeing the son of Samsung’s septuagenarian chairman, Lee Kun-hee, potentially embroiled in a drawn out legal battle casting a shadow over the company’s future leadership plans.

Samsung's vice-chairman has been viewed as the Samsung’s de facto leader since Lee Kun-hee was hospitalised in 2014 due to illness, and the company would have faced a potential leadership vacuum if Lee found himself at the mercy of prosecutors.

The good news comes after a rocky year for Samsung, with the company still recovering from last year’s Galaxy Note7 debacle, its subsequent recall of millions of devices around the world, and a slew of lawsuits over the matter.

The company is also facing the prospect of a major split into two separate entities, and working out if it should undertake new public offerings after agitation by activist hedge fund, Elliot Management.

“Samsung Electronics has taken steps to simplify its business to concentrate on core capabilities in the past several years and the company continues to review opportunities to optimise long-term value,” Samsung said in a statement late last year.

Slideshows

ARN Exchange: Channel discusses security spending priorities

Customers spending priorities, drawing up a security strategy for customers and partners, detailing how partners can increase profit through security and outlining key areas of market growth ahead were some of the topics discussed at the ARN Exchange event in Sydney. Partners got together to talk about the spending priorities of customers within the security market today and the skills required from partners to deliver those services. The event was in association with Juniper Networks, Webroot, Cloud Plus and Mimecast. Photos by Christine Wong.

What are the spending priorities of customers within the security market today and what are the skills required from partners to deliver those services? An overview of the security market in Australia was debated in the ARN Exchange event in Melbourne with discussions covering the customers spending priorities, drawing up a security strategy for customers and partners, detailing how partners can increase profit through security and outlining key areas of market growth ahead. The event was in association with Juniper Networks, Webroot, Cloud Plus and Mimecast. Photos by Raymond Korn.

The channel came together for the forth running of the ARN Emerging Leaders Forum in Australia, created to provide a program that identifies, educates and showcases the upcoming talent of the ICT industry.
Hosted as a half day forum, attendees heard from industry specialists as keynoters and panellists discussed leadership paths and career choices. Hall of Fame members and industry mentors​ hosted small groups of future leaders to mentor and advise.
This also marked ARN's inaugural 30 Under 30 Tech Awards, which recognised young talent in the Australian IT industry across technical, sales, marketing, management, human resources and entrepreneur categories.
Photos by Christine Wong.

Copyright 2019 IDG Communications. ABN 14 001 592 650. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IDG Communications is prohibited.